T Pushes Hybrid Locomotives for Fleet

[DHayward]

From commuter rail to ‘green’ line

T pushes hybrid locomotives for fleet

 

Boston, MA -The MBTA is going hybrid. After a successful four-month trial, the T is looking to purchase two hybrid locomotives for the commuter rail fleet.

 

The new, environmentally friendly, hybrid commuter rail locomotive.

Foto: NICOLAUS CZARNECKI/METRO

 

The vehicles run primarily on electricity, making them very quiet, and their engines turn off automatically when they are idling for too long, limiting the amount of fuel burned and fumes emitted, MBTA General Manager Daniel Grabauskas said.

 

“Where we get many of our complaints is when we have to keep the locomotives running during the day and moving trains around the yard. It can be very noisy, and we are spewing particles in the air. This will allow us to drastically re-duce the noxious emissions, and its much quieter for the neighbors,” Grabauskas said.

 

Currently the T is leasing one of the locomotives, known as NViroMotive, from the manufacturers, National Railway Equipment of Chicago. The locomotive is being used in the Readville rail yard transporting coaches that need to be repaired.

 

“So far so great. It’s been universally lauded by our crews and mechanical staff. It’s been quiet for our neighbors in the Readville yard,” said Rich Davey, deputy general manager at Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad, the company that runs the T’s commuter rail system.

 

Davey said that since the locomotive went into service in May, they have refueled it only once.

 

Typically, they would have to refuel it at least twice in that period of time. Federal funding has been approved to cover 80 percent of the cost of the two vehicles and the procurement process is set to begin this fall, Grabauskas said. Each costs around $1.3 million.

 

METROBOSTONNEWS.COM

[DHayward]

Just a side note:

 

Strange thing is, these 'green goats' were recalled at one point for the batteries overheating.. Maybe these are some newer versions. Well, knock on wood, they haven't caught fire yet..

[Harry]

Interesting. Get some more info on this unit and post it for us to see and read.

[DHayward]

RailPower Technologies is a Canadian company that builds environmentally friendly hybrid yard locomotives, founded by Frank Donnelly and Gerard Koldyk. Its "Green Goat" locomotives have been purchased by Canadian Pacific Railway, BNSF Railway, Kansas City Southern Railway and Union Pacific Railroad among others.

A Green Goat demonstrator.

 

 

 

Their locomotive models include the Green Goat and Green Kid (GK) series. Created from older locomotives, these units are deployed in services where there is a lot of idle time, such as yard switching. Below the frame they are the same as their pre-recycled locomotive. Above the frame they are new, with all new hood and cab assemblies. The units built for BNSF have virtually no cab at all. A small generator and a large bank of batteries power the locomotive. The generator is used to recharge the batteries. The locomotives meet the new EPA exhaust emissions standards.

Currently on the market are the GG10B, GG20B, and GK10B locomotives for switching duties and the RP20BH (two-engine hybrid) and RP20BD (three engine diesel) locomotives for light road duties. The B indicates two-axle trucks, the 10 or 20 is 1,000 or 2,000 horsepower respectively.

 

Here is a picture of the previously mentioned BNSF Unit.

 

 

And your CP:

 

[PVincent342]

Ya , but your "BNSF" unit is a union pacific unit , so u might want to fix that

which i will do for you by providing the BNSF unit:

[Eastman346]

So its only switchers getting the hybrid units?